An erosion protection plan for homes fronting a Salt Spring beach is drawing skepticism from some islanders, while organizers of a petition seeking to postpone approval said landowners told them they were open to changes.
Comments are being accepted until Nov. 13 with the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, who are considering an application to modify a 560-metre strip of provincial Crown land fronting six Booth Bay waterfront parcels, between Quarry Drive and Baker Road.
Several property owners have applied together, hoping to install the erosion protection above Baker Road Beach using principles from the Stewardship Centre for B.C.’s pilot Green Shores program, according to submitted documents –– a “nature-based” climate adaptation design standard encouraged by Salt Spring’s official community plan that minimizes hard armour seawalls in favour of non-uniform rock clusters, vegetation enhancement and “beach nourishment.”
That “nourishment” –– sand and gravel placed at the toe of an eroding slope –– worried resident and naturalist Diana Thompson, who said she and more than 700 people who signed an online petition to slow the application were concerned about the potential for coarse gravel and large rocks to subside, impacting nearby eelgrass beds –– and possibly spawning grounds for several fish species, including plainfin midshipmen fish nests she said have been there for “centuries.”
“My sister is a snorkeler and saw creatures in the eelgrass that are too numerous to list,” Thompson said. “The ocean washes the gravel away; where does it settle?”
The popular beach is accessed by two Capital Regional District-maintained staircases nearby for public access –– both armoured with concrete and boulders.
Thompson said after some “harsh and ill-founded” comments were posted on social media, a landowner reached out to tell her they were “open to adjusting the proposal when different departments and groups bring up concerns.” Identifying herself as one of the applicants on social media, Heidi Kuhrt said they had reached out to First Nations identified as having interests in the location more than a year ago, and again more recently.
“One of the criteria for approval is that we don’t impact the public’s use significantly,” Kuhrt posted. “I like walking the shore and swimming too.” Noting the petition language was a group effort, Thompson said “everyone cares for the beach in different ways and we put our heads together.” “One woman wanted to start a petition, so I took that on,” she said. The online petition asks for independent professional review of the application, with findings published “in such a way as to be easily accessible by all the residents of Salt Spring Island” as well as a public response from “all concerned First Nations” before the application proceeds. It also asks for “public forums involving the Islands Trust, the CRD and islanders, to ensure a favourite swimming, socializing, walking, exploring, bird-watching and recreation site for everyone will not be degraded, blocked or impeded.”
Trust regional planning manager Chris Hutton told Salt Spring’s Local Trust Committee on Oct. 10 the Islands Trust was in receipt of a Crown lease referral for the four properties, which were under a delegated development permit process. The draft recommendation at that time was for the development permit to be approved.
While the process does not require trustees to conduct public comment sessions, trustee Laura Patrick suggested it may be an “opportunity to communicate and educate.”
“I’m sure there are some people looking at this going, ‘I want to do this now,’ or something of that nature,” said Patrick at the Oct. 10 meeting. “So I think we should be looking for these opportunities to communicate that there is some joint effort occurring out there.”
For information about the application or to comment, visit comment.nrs.gov.bc.ca/applications?clidDtid=1415573. The petition is at change.org/p/save-baker-rd-beach-its-rare-midshipman-fish-habitat-sign-this-petition.